Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (April 14, 2005)
E COOSH EEWA: The it IS Spilyay Tymoo April 14,2005 Good news about gaming compact By Selena T. Boise Management Successor I low about that signing of the gaming compact? I was watching the news on the day ' of the signing and heard the ; comments of a couple of un : happy people. Those that object ', were able to speak up about it ; in the news, but I Letters to the Editor ' wasn't able to catch apilyay many positive com- Speaks ments, ! The positive thing that stands ; out in my mind is that with the revenue from this new casino ; the tribal organization will be able to open up new jobs for tribal : members. There aren't many to ' choose from if you don't have ' a degree or special training. ; I was listening to one guy on : KATU News staring his opinion. ; I le was commenting that there ; is money for Oregon included : in this compact, but he doesn't ; know that it will actually be ' there for Oregon. I le went on . to say that the money from ; Oregon Lottery was supposed to go back to Oregon, but he hasn't seen that happen. ' That is something that you don't really see, I guess. But when I purchase the occasional : scratch "Bingo" tickets I read ; the back to see where the rev ' enue from the Lottery goes. The , phrase usually starts out "Or- egon lottery funds help. . ." If I didn't read those words ; on the ticket, I wouldn't actu ' ally know or see where these funds are spent. There are good causes being funded by Oregon " Lottery. n1 For years the Warm Springs tribes have been waiting for this compact to be signed by the governor. Once this is com ; pleted, there is more process to ' be followed, at the federal level, as stated by the news reporter on KATU. Another comment I heard was that a casino doesn't belong along the scenic Gorge. Well, I can't imagine the tribes putting up a building with flashing lights like you see in Reno or Las Ve gas. Tribal members have made their ideas known for the design and decor for this new casino. I can't imagine this includes flash ing lights, or anything that would stand out like a sore thumb. In fact, of all the casinos I've been to that are Indian owned, I have never seen flashing lights like Vegas or Reno. I keep picturing designs of salmon or the Celilo Falls, be cause our people used to live along the Columbia River to gather salmon, and it was our people's livelihood years ago. I hope that the new designs have something of this nature for the new casino. I am also hoping that the sign ing of this compact is going to ensure forward movement on this whole issue of a casino at the Gorge. It seems we do a lot of waiting to see forward move ment on the plans for this to happen. That, in turn, makes people anxious, then angry. So let's all hope that things keep moving. Root Feast To the people of Warm Springs, I thank you for inviting me and other Chief Seattle Club members to the Root Feast. You people and the ladies treated us very well. Thank you also for letting us use your longhouse. Your generosity I much ap preciated. Peace, Joseph Rinco, Navajo, nickname Jose. Doing okay To my family back at Warm Springs, I just want you guys to know I'm doing okay in River side Indian Boarding School in Oklahoma. I just want to tell my Uncle Foster Kalama that I'm sorry about your mom, and the rest of my Kalama side of the family, I hope you guys will pull through together. I'm just sorry that I'm not there for you right now. I'm doing okay and I hope sometime soon you guys will be strong again. Please take it easy and be careful. Love always, Katherine S. Hoptowit. Fitness The 12-weck challenge offi cially ends the middle of April. Ending measurements will be taken between April 1 8 and 22 at the clinic. Sweatshirts will be handed out to the finishers at the same time. Measurements are to be taken by the same person who did them in the beginning, for consistency purposes. These measurements can be looked up for participants if they do not remember. The number to call is 553-1196 and ask for cither extension 4160 for Diane Franklin or 4166 for Carolyn Harvey. Carolyn will be available ev ery day to do measurements from 7:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., and 1:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and 1:15 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Sara Tho mas is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Diane Franklin is available Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Essays are to be turned in at the time of measurements. It is consid ered a part of finishing the chal lenge. The essay only needs to be just a short paragraph or two and should address the follow ing two questions. What did you do to make these improvements? What benefits have you ex perienced from the challenge? Winners will be announced May 2. Carolyn Harvey, Community Wellness Coordina tor Council A couple letters in the Spilyay hit the tribal members' problems right on the nose. It all comes down to us Indians not having "any" representation. I've seen managers who couldn't get their way. The first words out of their mouth is "I'm going to Council." These people walk right in to Council. They get same day service. What's even worse, it is always non-Indians. I know a lot of us who have tried to see Council, and got ignored. I know Indians who've turned in managers in writing, like Council demands, then who docs Council rescue? The Indians get retaliation. I'd bet, any non-Indian street hustler could walk in, hand them some lies and get welcomed with open arms. Someone whose own "tribe" has run them off. When I used to be on one of these boards, the big shots told us of "their" big dream of building houses for "all of our people" that they were going to hire at their new casino. A couple of us gave an adamant no as an answer. I know it hasn't been happen ing, but that money is earmarked for us "low-income Indians." I used Kah-Nee-Ta as the main example of what was going to happen. To me, it is evident who is actually running this reservation. Does the Tribal Council know what is going on? A few are ac tually mixed up in and causing this mess. The rest either don't want to know or couldn't care less. They can't lie about this. If anyone tries to talk to them, they get referred to their newly founded "super committee." That's what they call themselves. How many people actually know where the Tribal Council is? People I know can't find them when there is something of importance going on. The only time I see them is in the paper or on TV, getting tickled, while sitting on some politician's lap. Why is the Council giving away their authority to make decisions? I don't remember electing a committee, and giv ing all the authority to the same bunch that is causing all the com plaints. Victor Motet. Fire safety What can we do to help pre vent fires? With fires caused by Mother Nature (lightning), there's not much we can da But with human caused fires, there's plenty we can do. Last year we had 136 human caused fires on the reservation, with the majority of them from fireworks. There were 16 aban doned campfires and 14 fires from debris burning. Children started three fires. So what can we do as a com munity to help cut down on hu man caused fires? Keep your home in the safety zone with a good defensible space - 30-foot minimum space around your home. Get rid of any dead trees, shrubs, and dead branches lying on the ground; also, dried grasses, dead flowers and leaves-any dead vegetation. Break up the vegetation: pro vide a separation between plants or small groups of plants. Re member, the more continuous and dense the vegetation, the greater the wildland threat. Do you have ladder fuels present in your defensible space area? Vegetation that allows a fire to move from lower grow ing plants to taller ones is re ferred to ladder fuel. A vertical separation of three times the height of the lower fuel layer is recommended; that is, if a shrub growing adjacent to a large pine tree is three feet tall, the recommended separa tion distance would be nine feet. You could remove the lower tree branches, reducing the height of the shrub, or remove the shrub. Within the area extending at least 30 feet from your home, the vegetation should be kept lean, clean and green. Use low growing herbaceous (non woody) plants that are kept green during the fire season. These include plants such as lawns, groundcovers, bedding plants, and perennial flowers. Suzi Macy, prevention tech, Fire Management. Letters of apology To the people of Warm Springs, I am writing to apologize for my actions at the Warm Springs River a few weeks back. I was un der the influence of alcohol, and I was cited for shooting my rifle near a residential area .To the families of the residence, sorry. Sincerely, Robert Charley Jr. I am writing a letter of apology to the people and my family of Warm Springs for driving under the influence on December 18, 2004. 1 should have known better by all the life's I know that are gone, be cause of drinking and driving. Sorry. Ronald Thomas. I am making a public apology to my nephew and niece and their moms for driving under the influ ence while they were under my care. There is no excuse for my behav ior. Please forgive me. R. Adams. I apologize for my actions on the night of 3-29-05 to the com munity and the Treveno family. I apologize for putting your family in danger. I was under the influ ence of alcohol and realize what I have done and I am truly sorry. I hope you can accept my words of apology. Sincerely, Matthew Craig. influence of alcohol. Bagley. To Ronda, I would like to offer my deepest apology for my drunken actions on 7-24-04. Hope fully you could find it in your heart to forgive me for my actions that caused you such pain, anger and fear. I guess it would have been easier to just walk away. Instead in my drunken state I chose to hurt you. Now I'm paying for my stu pid choice. Once again I am sorry and I hope you'll forgive me. If not, then I'll understand, and to everyone else involved, I'm sorry. Joseph Craig. Toe Ness Men are like fine wine: They all start out as grapes, and it is your job to stomp on them and keep diem in the dark until they mature into something you'd want to have with dinner. Men are like computers: Hard to figure out and never have enough memory. I apologize to the community and people of Warm Springs for being in possession of a marijuana pipe and lighter during a cell search at the Warm Springs Jail. I realize and understand that it is not the answer to mask the reality and treat ment I am receiving behind the walls. Actions are being taken on my behalf through my decisions and choices I will be making from now on into the future. Sincerely, Aldo Antunet. To whom it may concern, and the community of Warm Springs, I'd like to apologize for my actions on February 12, 2005. 1 made a very poor decision on driving under the To the Warm Springs tribal po lice officers who I have caused trouble with while being under the influence of alcohol and for that I would like to give my deepest and sincerest apology. I'm sorry I learned from my mistake by mak ing another so all I ask from the officers who I have trouble is for their forgiveness. Thank you. And I also would like to apologize for my incident on the 10'h of March. Edgar M.W. Yahtin. To the community of the Warm Springs reservation, I would like to take this time to apologize for a crime committed on March 19, assault and battery on a victim. Again, please accept my apology. Thank you. Winston Wewa. To the community of Warm Springs, I would like to apologize on behalf of my actions. I apolo gize to Lillian Heath, her family, and whoever else I hurt with alco hol and drugs. Jeremy Kills First Sr. I would like to apologize to Warm Springs Police Department and to the Correctional Facility. I also would like to send my apol ogy to the community. On Janu ary 18, 2005 I tried to drop off some drugs to an inmate. I was later contacted by police. I was transported to the police depart ment to be incarcerated in the Cor rectional Facility. I am now sitting 70 days in the snake pit to think about my wrong actions. I also apologize for consuming alcohol as a minor. I will be a better per son from my wrong doings. Ed ward J. Winishut. To the people of the Confeder ated Tribes, I'm calling out to you on this day to ask you all to accept my sincere apology for possessing and being under the influence of today's most hated drug of choice - methamphctamine. Since my ar rest I've had a few days to come back to my senses and realize that I'm not only hurting myself, but my family and friends also. Sin cerely, Victor W. Smith Jr. To the community of the Warm Springs reservation, I am writing this to say I apologize. I made bad judgment and now I sit in jail for my mistake. Now I al ways take time for choices. Thank you for reading this. N. Switzler. Donald L. To the people of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, I would like to apologize for endan gering anyone's life or well-being on the night of November 30, when I eluded police officers down Hollywood Blvd, and on over East Tenino and up Highway 26 only to land myself in jaii here at Warm Springs. Taylor R. Arthur Sr. To the community of Warm Springs, I apologize for driving under the influence of alcohol, reck less driving, and I apologize to the police. Again, I'm sorry and it will never happen again. Alonzo Jim. To the people, on January 24 I was driving my vehicle on Quail Trail Road, when a tribal police of ficer stopped me and smelled alco hol and 1 was arrested for DUII. My action as a dangerous driver hurt our community, so I am sorry. Simon Kalama. I'm court ordered to apologize to the people in the hills and the community for shooting a pistol at the towers, so I'm sorry. The police took my gun anyways. Sin cerely, Jerrod K. On March 7, 2005, 1 was drink ing with my friends. Unfortu nately, two of my friends were un der age and I was charged with con tributing to the delinquency of a minor. I plead guilty. I spent 15 days in jail and six months on pro bation. I would like to apologize for this. Ida Frank. To the tribes and community of Warm Springs, I would like to apologize for my actions on Feb. 26 and will never get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated again. I again apologize because I could have hurt someone. Jaime L. Scott. I apologize to Judge W. Smith and your honor I am sorry. I apologize to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. I am re ally sorry. I will be more careful to never let this happen again. Accept my apology. Julia Stwyer. To the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, family and friends, I would like to take this time to apologize for my thoughdess and criminal action. In the month of February I was pulled over on High way 26. Looking back on that night I realize there could have been even heavier consequences. I am asking, hoping that you can forgive me. Gerald Tufti. To the Warm Springs commu nity this is a letter of apology re garding my incident on Feb. 5, 2005. I would like to apologize regard ing my actions. It was thoughdess and irresponsible. Thank you for your time. Clarence Jefferson. To the police officers of Warm Springs, I apologize to the com munity for having done wrong by resisting arrest and to the police officers who were on duty at the time. Please accept with all due re spect. I hope you will accept my apology for bringing drugs onto reservation. Thank you. Rigoberto Medrano. To the people of Warm Springs, I would like to apologize for my action that occurred at the Education Building, including the property of the 509-J school dis trict on April 2, 2005, about 2 a.m. I learned an important lesson that I won't do it again. Tarron McDonald. On April 2 I was arrested on a warrant and at the time being found and charged with drugs and paraphernalia. I know drugs are a big problem on the reservation. I am sorry for not complying with court ordered recommendations. I apologize to my probation officer and counselor for the let down. Most of all I apologize to my fam ily. Brian Renfro. To the Confederated Tribes, I would like to apologize for driv ing under the influence in January 2005 and for putting other lives in danger. Sorry for my actions. I will not let this happen again. Ster ling Kalama. On the date of Feb. 13, 2005 there was a firearm in my posses sion while I was intoxicated. That morning I was arrested and later sentenced by the tribal courts. I know that a person should never have a firearm while under any in toxicants. I will never do this again and hope that you accept my apol ogy. Lee Hellon. I would like to say that I'm sorry for drinking. I would also like to say sorry for the things that I might have said while I was under the influence. I'll try my best to see that it doesn't happen again. Martina M. Stwyer. To whom it may concern: I would like to apologize to the com munity and my family for my ac tions that took place on Feb. 13. 1 put myself and the community in danger for being under the influ ence. I learned my lesson. And it won't happen again. Thank you for your time. Dan McGill. I want to apologize to my bet ter half for the wrong-doing I did but didn't mean harm to him for my impaired condition and didn't mean harm to my members of my family on 3-25-05. 1 thought about my action and going to do my best to change. C.A. Winishut. Spilyay Tymoo CCoyote News, Est. 1976) Publisher Emeritus: Sid Miller Editor: Dave McMechan Management Successor: Selena T. Boise Advertising Manager: Sam Howard Staff Writer: Brian Mortensen Media Advisor Bill Rhoades Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confeder ated Tribes of Warm Springs. Our offices are located in the white house at 1 1 00 Wasco Street Any written mate rials submitted to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 870, Warm Springs, OR 97761 . Phone: (541 ) 553-1644 or 553-3274. FAX No. (541) 553-3539. E-Mail: spilyaytyrnoowstribes.org. Annual Subscription rates: Within U.S.: $15.00.